The Zen Monks and the Governor
In Chon Un Sah Temple or Zen Temple at Ji Ri Sahn Mountain, a place that was supported by a fully devoted Buddhist people and governor. After a year, a new governor was assigned to the region. The governor believes in Confucianism and is a Confucian himself, which is why he hated people who believe in Buddhism. One day, he summoned the abbot to come to his temple. When the abbot monk arrived, he hit him in the head and said that they are bad people. The governor explained that, all the monks did was pray, eat, and sleep. He also called them rice thieves and for this reason, he told the abbot that all the monks should pay taxes. The abbot agreed and returned to the temple. The kitchen master asks what happen at the temple and the abbot told them about what the governor said. All of got silent but the Kitchen master thought of an idea. The kitchen master told the abbot to go back to the governor and tell him to come to the temple for they have valuable antiques, thus the governor can take one that he likes. Before the abbot leaves, he questioned the kitchen master about how will they be able to do it when they do not have any antiques, but the kitchen man told him not to worry. The kitchen master prepared food for the governor and the other monks followed his orders. When the governor arrived and was invited to eat, he did not eat bit rather he asks the abbot where the antiques are. The kitchen master said that he will get it and when he came back, he showed the broom. The governor was angry because he thought that they take him for a fool but the kitchen master rode the broom and flies around the temple. The governor was fascinated by this and wants to try the broom for himself but it didn't work. The kitchen master told him the reason and showed the governor all the meditating monks. The governor was impressed to see that there are different kind’s meditations. The kitchen master explained to the governor that, if the monks are done meditating they can disappear like a smoke and can come and go anytime they want. Then the kitchen master warns the governor that if he does bad things, these disappearing monks would kill him. The governor said he understands and he gave his support to the monks. He also announced that he will not collect any taxes from the monks anymore and then left the temple. After that event, the governor did not bother the monks anymore.
The themes are: faithfulness, beliefs, trust, and redemption. It is presented in the story through the faithfulness of the Buddhist monks, the governor's belief changed when he went to the temple, the monks trusted the kitchen master of his ideas, and finally, redemption, because after the Confucian governor saw everything and heard things about Buddhism beliefs of good and bad, the governor stopped doing bad things to the monks. The characters include the monks, the abbot, the governor, and the kitchen master. The setting is in the Chon Un Sah Temple or Zen Temple. The conflict was man versus man because the monks have to deal with the governors bad doings.
What I learned from the story is that, we should respect other types of religion. I also learned that, we should not just easily accused people for something without knowing their story because we might be wrong on what we are accusing them. I also learned that, we should believe that nothing is impossible to our Almighty, because our faith can actually result to something unexpected. Just like in the story, the kitchen master was able to fly with the broom because of his strong faith to the Almighty.
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